Budget Amendments - HB1500 (Conference Report)

Item 1 #13c

Item 1 #13c

Legislative Department

General Assembly of Virginia

Language

Page 12, after line 13, insert:

"T.1. The Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees shall each appoint four members from their respective committees to a Joint Subcommittee for Health and Human Resources Oversight to respond to federal health care changes, provide ongoing oversight of the Medicaid and children's health insurance programs and oversight of Health and Human Resources agencies. The members of the Joint Subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman annually.

2. The Joint Subcommittee shall monitor, evaluate and respond to federal legislation that repeals, amends or replaces the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act), the Children's Health Insurance Program (Title XXI of the Social Security Act) or any proposals to block grant or change the method by which these programs are funded. The joint subcommittee shall recommend actions to be taken by the General Assembly to address the impact of any such federal legislation that would affect the state budget and health care coverage now available to Virginians. Furthermore, the subcommittee shall evaluate federal changes for opportunities to improve Virginia's Medicaid and other health insurance programs.

3. The Joint Subcommittee shall provide ongoing oversight of initiatives and operations of the Health and Human Resources agencies.The joint subcommittee shall examine progress made in implementing changes to: (i) Medicaid managed care programs, including managed long-term supports and services (the Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus program) and changes to the Medallion program; (ii) Medicaid waiver programs including the Medicaid waivers serving individuals with developmental disabilities; (iii) the Medicaid Enterprise System; (iv) improve eligibility, enrollment and renewal processes in the Medicaid and CHIP programs; (v) the organizational structure and realignment of staff and resources of the Department of Medical Assistance Services resulting from the change from a fee-for-service to a managed care delivery system; (vi) improve the cost effective delivery of services through the Comprehensive Services Act; and (vii) initiatives and programmatic changes across the Health and Human Resources agencies to ensure efficient and effective use of resources across the Secretariat.

4. The Joint Subcommittee may seek support and technical assistance from staff of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, the staff of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, and the staff of the Department of Medical Assistance Services. Other state agency staff shall provide support upon request."

Explanation

(This amendment adds language creating a joint subcommittee of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees to respond to federal health care changes, provide oversight of the Medicaid and children's health insurance programs, and provide oversight of Health and Human Resources agency operations.)

A. Out of this appropriation, the House of Delegates is funded $25,032,589 the first year and $25,033,562 the second year from the general fund. The Senate is funded $13,888,527 the first year and $13,894,993 the second year from the general fund.

B. Out of this appropriation shall be paid:

1. The salaries of the Speaker of the House of Delegates and other members, and personnel employed by each House; the mileage of members, officers and employees, including salaries and mileage of members of legislative committees sitting during recess; public printing and related expenses required by or for the General Assembly; and the incidental expenses of the General Assembly (§§ 30-19.11 through 30-19.20, inclusive, and § 30-19.4, Code of Virginia). The salary of the Speaker of the House of Delegates shall be $36,321 per year. The salaries of other members of the House of Delegates shall be $17,640 per year. The salaries of the members of the Senate shall be $18,000 per year.

2. The annual salary of the Clerk of the House of Delegates, $151,375 from July 1, 2016 to June 24, 2017 and $151,375 from June 25, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

3. The annual salary of the Clerk of the Senate, $148,184 from July 1, 2016 to June 24, 2017 and $148,184 from June 25, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

4. Expenses of the Speaker of the House of Delegates not otherwise reimbursed, $16,200 each year, to be paid in equal monthly installments during the year.

5. In accordance with § 30-19.4, Code of Virginia, and subject to all other conditions of that section except as otherwise provided in the following paragraphs:

a. $98,793 per calendar year for the compensation of one or more secretaries of the Speaker of the House of Delegates. After June 30, 2016, salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 475 of this act.

b. $148,189 per calendar year for the compensation of one or more legislative assistants of the Speaker of the House of Delegates. After June 30, 2016, salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 475 of this act.

c. $187,500 per calendar year for the compensation of one or more secretaries or legislative assistants for the Senate majority and minority leadership, as determined by the Majority Leader in consultation with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules. After June 30, 2016, salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 475 of this act.

d.1. $40,800 per calendar year for the compensation of legislative assistants for each member of the House of Delegates and $45,900 for the compensation of legislative assistants for each member of the Senate. After June 30, 2016, salary increases granted shall be governed by the provisions of Item 475 of this act.

2. In addition, $15,300 per calendar year for each member of the House of Delegates and $10,200 per calendar year for each member of the Senate to provide compensation for additional legislative assistant support costs incurred during the legislative session and in the operation of legislative offices within members' districts. After June 30, 2016, salary increases granted shall be governed by the provisions of Item 475 of this act.

e. The per diem for each legislative assistant of each member of the General Assembly, including the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Such per diem shall equal the amount authorized per session day for General Assembly members in paragraph B 7, if such legislative assistant maintains a temporary residence during the legislative session or an extension thereof and if the establishment of such temporary residence results from the person's employment by the member. The per diem for a legislative assistant who is domiciled in the City of Richmond or whose domicile is within twenty miles of the Capitol shall equal thirty-five percent of the amount paid to a legislative assistant who maintains a temporary residence during such session. For purposes of this paragraph, (i) a session day shall include such days as shall be established by the Rules Committee of each respective House and (ii) a temporary residence is defined as a residence certified by the member served by the legislative assistant as occupied only by reason of employment during the legislative session or extension thereof. Notwithstanding the provisions of (i) of the preceding sentence, if the House from which the legislative assistant is paid is in adjournment during a regular or special session, he must show to the satisfaction of the Clerk that he worked each day during such adjournment for which such per diem is claimed.

f. A mileage allowance as provided in § 2.2-2823 A, Code of Virginia, and as certified by the member. Such mileage allowance shall be paid to a legislative assistant for one round trip between the City of Richmond and such person's home each week during the legislative session or an extension thereof when such person is maintaining a temporary residence.

g. Per diem and mileage shall be paid only to a person who is paid compensation pursuant to § 30-19.4, Code of Virginia.

h. Not more than one person shall be paid per diem or mileage during a single weekly pay period for serving a member as legislative assistant during a legislative session or extension thereof.

i. No person, by virtue of concurrently serving more than one member, shall be paid mileage or per diem in excess of the daily rates specified in this Item.

j. $20,277 per calendar year additional allowance for secretaries or legislative assistants to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House of Delegates and the Senate and for secretaries or legislative assistants to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Chairman Emeritus of the Senate Finance Committee, and to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees. After June 30, 2016, salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 475 of this act.

6.a. All compensation and reimbursement of expenses to members of the General Assembly and non-General Assembly members for attending a meeting described in paragraphs B.6.c., B.6.d., B.7., and B.8. shall be paid solely as provided pursuant to this item.

b. The provisions of paragraphs B.6.c. and B.6.d. of this item shall not apply during any regular session of the General Assembly or extension thereof, or during any special session of the General Assembly; provided, however, that the provisions of such paragraphs shall apply during any recess of the same.

c. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each General Assembly member shall receive compensation for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting of any joint subcommittee, board, commission, authority, council, compact, or other body that has been created or established by the General Assembly or by resolution of a house of the General Assembly, provided that the member has been appointed to, or designated an official member of, such joint subcommittee, board, commission, authority, council, compact, or other body pursuant to an act of the General Assembly or a resolution of a house of the General Assembly that provides for the appointment or designation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each General Assembly member shall also receive compensation for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting of (i) any standing committee or subcommittee thereof of the House of Delegates to which the member has been appointed, (ii) any standing committee or subcommittee thereof or Committee on Rules of the Senate to which the member has been appointed, or (iii) the Joint Rules Committee of the General Assembly. Any official meeting of a subcommittee of any of the committees described in clauses (i), (ii), or (iii) shall also be an official meeting for which the member shall receive compensation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any General Assembly member whose attendance, in the written opinion of the chairman of (a) any joint subcommittee, board, commission, authority, council, or other body that has been created or established in the legislative branch of state government by the General Assembly or by resolution of a house of the General Assembly; (b) any such standing committee of the House of Delegates or of the Senate; (c) the Committee on Rules of the Senate; or (d) the Joint Rules Committee of the General Assembly, is required at an official meeting of the body shall also receive compensation for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at such official meeting.

Any General Assembly member receiving compensation pursuant to this paragraph for attending an official meeting shall be reimbursed for his or her reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in attending such meeting. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the reimbursement shall be provided by the respective body holding the meeting or by the entity that supports the work of the body.

d. Compensation to General Assembly members for attendance at any official meeting described under B.6.c.of this item shall be at the rate of $300 for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance. In no case shall a member be paid more than an aggregate of $300 in compensation for each day, or portion thereof, regardless of whether the member attends more than one official meeting during the day. The payment of such compensation shall be subject to the restrictions and limitations set forth in subsections B., C., and G. of § 30-19.12, Code of Virginia. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, compensation to General Assembly members for attendance at such official meetings shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate, as applicable. The body holding the meeting shall as soon as practicable report the member's attendance at any official meeting of such body to the Clerk of the House of Delegates or the Clerk of the Senate, as applicable, in order to facilitate payment of the compensation. Such body shall report the member's attendance in such manner as prescribed by the respective Clerk.

7. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever any General Assembly member is required to travel for official attendance as a representative of the General Assembly at any meeting, conference, seminar, workshop, or conclave, which is not conducted by the Commonwealth of Virginia or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, such member shall be entitled to (i) compensation in an amount not to exceed the per day rate set forth in paragraph B.6.d., and (ii) reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred. Such compensation and reimbursement for expenses shall be set by the Speaker of the House of Delegates for members of the House of Delegates and by the Senate Committee on Rules for members of the Senate.

8. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply only to non-General Assembly members (hereinafter, "citizen members") of any (i) board, commission, authority, council, or other body created or established in the legislative branch of state government by the General Assembly or by resolution of a house of the General Assembly, or (ii) joint legislative committee or subcommittee.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any citizen member of any body described in this paragraph who is appointed at the state level, or designated an official member of such body, pursuant to an act of the General Assembly or a resolution of a house of the General Assembly that provides for the appointment or designation, shall receive compensation solely for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting of the same. In no event shall any citizen member be paid compensation for attending a meeting of an advisory committee or other advisory body. Subject to any contrary law that provides for a higher amount of compensation to be paid, compensation shall be paid at the rate of $50 for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting.

Such citizen members shall also be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in attending (i) an official meeting of any body described in this paragraph, or (ii) a meeting of an advisory committee or advisory body of any body described in this paragraph.

Compensation and reimbursement of expenses to such citizen members shall be paid by the body holding the meeting (or for meetings of advisory committees or advisory bodies, the body on whose behalf the meeting is being held) or by the entity that supports the work of the body.

A citizen member, however, who is a full-time employee of the Commonwealth or any of its local political subdivisions, including any full-time faculty member of a public institution of higher education, shall not be entitled to compensation under this paragraph and shall be limited to reimbursement for his reasonable and necessary expenses incurred, which shall be reimbursed by his employer.

A citizen member who is also currently a treasurer, sheriff, clerk of court, commissioner of the revenue, or attorney for the Commonwealth by reason of election of the qualified county or city voters shall not be entitled to compensation under this paragraph and shall be limited to reimbursement for his reasonable and necessary expenses incurred, which shall be reimbursed within the budget already established by the Compensation Board and in the same manner as other reasonable and necessary expenses of his office are reimbursed. Full-time employees of one of the foregoing constitutional offices shall also not be entitled to compensation under this paragraph and shall be limited to reimbursement for their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred, which shall be reimbursed within the budget already established by the Compensation Board and in the same manner as other reasonable and necessary expenses of the constitutional office are reimbursed.

9. Pursuant to § 30-19.13, Code of Virginia, allowances for expenses of members of the General Assembly during any regular session of the General Assembly or extension thereof or during any special session of the General Assembly shall be paid in an amount not to exceed the maximum daily amount permitted by the Internal Revenue Service under rates established by the U.S. General Services Administration.

10. Allowance for office expenses and supplies of members of the General Assembly, in the amount of $1,250 for each month of each calendar year. An additional $500 for each month of each calendar year shall be paid to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House of Delegates and the Senate and to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Chairman or Chairs of the Senate Finance Committee, and the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

C. One legislative assistant of a member of the General Assembly regularly employed on a twelve (12) consecutive month salary basis receiving 60 percent or more of the salary allotted pursuant to paragraph A.5.c.1, may, for the purposes of §§ 51.1-124.3 and 51.1-152, Code of Virginia, be deemed a "state employee" and as such will be eligible for participation in the Virginia Retirement System, the group life insurance plan, the VRS short and long term disability plans, and the state health insurance plan. Upon approval by the Joint Rules Committee, legislative assistants shall be eligible to participate in the short and long-term disability plans sponsored by the Virginia Retirement System pursuant to Chapter 11 of Title 51.1, Code of Virginia. Such legislative assistants shall not receive sick leave and family and personal leave benefits under this plan. Short-term disability benefits shall be payable from the Legislative Reversion Clearing Account.

D. Out of this appropriation the Clerk of the House of Delegates shall pay the routine maintenance and operating expenses of the General Assembly Building as apportioned to the Senate, House of Delegates, Division of Legislative Services, Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, or other legislative agencies. The funds appropriated to each agency in the Legislative Department for routine maintenance and operating expenses during the current biennium shall be transferred to the account established for this purpose.

E. An amount of up to $10,000 per year shall be transferred from Item 36 of this act, to reflect equivalent compensation allowances for the Lieutenant Governor as were authorized by the 1994 General Assembly. The Lieutenant Governor shall report such increases to the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

F.1. The Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees shall each appoint four members from their respective committees to a joint subcommittee to review public higher education funding policies and to make recommendations to their respective committees. The objective of the review is to develop policies and formulas to provide the public institutions of higher education with an equitable funding methodology that: (a) recognizes differences in institutional mission; (b) provides incentives for achievement and productivity; (c) recognizes enrollment growth; and (d) establishes funding objectives in areas such as faculty salaries, financial aid, and the appropriate share of educational and general costs that should be borne by resident students. In addition, the review shall include the development of comparable cost data concerning the delivery of higher education through an analysis of the relationship of each public institution to its national peers. The public institutions of higher education and the staff of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia are directed to provide technical assistance, as required, to the joint subcommittee.

2. The Joint Subcommittee on Higher Education Funding Policies shall conduct an assessment of the adequacy of the current educational and general funding levels for Virginia's public institutions of higher education. The assessment shall be used to develop guidelines against which to measure funding requests for higher education. The assessment shall include, but not be limited to, the following components:

a) Updated student-to-faculty ratios based on current practice or industry norms.

b) Consideration of support staff needs and the changing requirements of support staff due to technology and privatization of services previously performed by the institutions.

c) Costs of instruction, such as equipment, utilities, facilities maintenance, and other nonpersonal services expenses.

d) Recognition of the individual mission of the institution, student characteristics, location, or other factors that may influence the costs of instruction.

e) Benchmarking of the funding guidelines against a group of peer institutions, or other appropriate comparator group, to assess the validity of the guidelines.

f) Means by which measures of institutional performance can be assessed and incorporated into funding and policy guidelines for higher education.

3. The Joint Subcommittee on Higher Education Funding Policies shall develop a more precise methodology for determining funding needs at Virginia's public institutions of higher education related to enrollment growth. The methodology should take into consideration that support staff and operations may need to be expanded when enrollment growth reaches certain levels.

4. The Joint Subcommittee may seek support from the staff of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees, the public institutions of higher education, or other higher education or state agency representatives, as requested by the Joint Subcommittee. At its discretion, the Joint Subcommittee may contract for consulting services.

5. The Joint Subcommittee is hereby continued to provide direction and oversight of higher education funding policies. The Joint Subcommittee shall review and articulate policies and funding methodologies on: (a) the appropriate share of educational and general costs that should be borne by students; (b) student financial aid; (c) undergraduate medical education funding; (d) the mix of full-time and part-time faculty; (e) the mix of in-state and out-of-state students as it relates to tuition policy; and (f) the viability of statewide articulation agreements between four-year and two-year public institutions.

6. a. It is the objective of the General Assembly that funding for Virginia's public colleges and universities shall be based primarily on the funding guidelines outlined in the November, 2001 report of the Joint Subcommittee on Higher Education Funding Policies.

b. Based on the findings and recommendations of its November, 2001 report, the Joint Subcommittee shall coordinate with the State Council of Higher Education, the Secretary of Education, and the Department of Planning and Budget in incorporating the higher education funding guidelines into the development of budget recommendations.

c. As part of its responsibilities to ensure the fair and equitable distribution and use of public funds among the public institutions of higher education, the State Council of Higher Education shall incorporate the funding guidelines established by the Joint Subcommittee into its budget recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly.

G. The Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees shall each appoint four members from their respective committees to a joint subcommittee to review compensation of state agency heads and cabinet secretaries. The Department of Human Resource Management, the Virginia Retirement System and all other agencies and institutions of the Commonwealth are directed to provide technical assistance, as required, to the joint subcommittee.

H. 1. The Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees shall each appoint up to five members from their respective committees to a joint subcommittee to provide on-going direction and oversight of Standards of Quality funding cost policies and to make recommendations to their respective committees.

2. The Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding shall: a) study the Commonwealth's use of the prevailing salary and cost approaches to funding the Standards of Quality, as compared with alternative approaches, such as a fixed point in time salary base that is increased annually by some minimum percentage or funding the national average teacher salary; and b) review the “federal revenue deduct" methodology, including the current use of a cap on the deduction; and c) review the methodology for establishing a consistent funding cap process for all state funded instructional and certain support positions.

3. The school divisions, the staff of the Virginia Department of Education, and staff of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, are directed to provide technical assistance, as required, to the joint subcommittee.

I. Notwithstanding the salaries listed in Item 1, paragraph B.2., of this act, the Speaker of the House may establish a salary range for the Clerk of the House of Delegates.

J. Notwithstanding the salaries listed in Item 1, paragraph B.3. of this act, the Senate Committee on Rules may establish a salary range for the Clerk of the Senate.

K. Notwithstanding the salaries set out in Items 2, 4, 5, and 6, the Committee on Joint Rules may establish salary ranges for such agency heads consistent with the provisions and salary ranges included in § 4-6.01 of this act.

L. Included within this appropriation is $15,400 each year from the general fund for expenses related to the Joint Subcommittee on Tax Preferences, pursuant to House Bill 777 of the 2012 Session. This includes $6,622 each year to be allocated by the Clerk of the Senate and $8,778 each year to be allocated by the Clerk of the House of Delegates.

M. Included in the appropriations for this item is $25,000 the first year and $25,000 the second year from the general fund for the operations of the Virginia Indian Commemorative Commission and the development of a monument commemorating the life, achievements, and legacy of Native Americans in the Commonwealth.

N. The Special Joint Subcommittee to Consult on the Plan to Close State Training Centers shall continue to conduct a review of the assumptions behind the cost and cost savings of implementing the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) settlement agreement including but not limited to a review of the cost of providing care in the state intellectual disability (ID) training centers and in the community and an explanation of the difference in costs.

O. The Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability shall regularly review, and provide oversight of the usage of funding generated pursuant to the provisions of House Bill 2313, 2013 Session of the General Assembly. To this end, by November 15 the Secretary of Transportation, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission shall each prepare a report on the uses of the Intercity Passenger Rail Operating and Capital Funds, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Fund, and the Hampton Roads Transportation Fund, respectively, each year to be presented to the Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability.

P.1. There is hereby created in the legislative branch the Virginia World War I and World War II Commemoration Commission. The Commission shall plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities appropriate to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I and the 75th anniversary of World War II.

2. The Commission shall have a total membership of ten members consisting of six legislative members, two nonlegislative citizen members, and two ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; two members of the Senate of Virginia to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one nonlegislative citizen member who shall be a World War II historian, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; one nonlegislative citizen member who shall be a World War II veteran or a family member of a World War II veteran, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and two ex-officio members, to include the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services or his designee and the Executive Director of the Virginia War Memorial. The nonlegislative and ex-officio members shall be non-voting members. The nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth, unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the committee and the respective Clerk, and shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. The voting members of the Commission shall elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the Virginia General Assembly.

3. Legislative members of the Commission and Advisory Council shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12, Code of Virginia, and nonlegislative citizen members of the Commission shall receive such compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2813. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Compensation to members of the General Assembly for attendance at official meetings of the Commission shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate, as applicable. All other compensation and expenses shall be paid from existing appropriations to the Commission.

4. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia World War I and World War II Commemoration Commission Fund, hereafter referred to as the "Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller and shall consist of gifts, grants, donations, bequests, or other funds from any source as may be received by the Commission for its work. Moneys shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of enabling the Commission to perform its duties. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request of the chairman of the Commission.

5. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services and the Virginia War Memorial shall provide technical assistance to the Commission. The Division of Legislative Services shall act as the fiscal agent for the Commission. Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the Commission shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services, and by other state agencies and institutions as may be requested by the Commission.

6. The Director of the Department of Planning and Budget is authorized to transfer $1,000,000 in the first year from unexpended balances from the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission to the Division of Legislative Services to support the activities of the Virginia World War I and World War II Commemoration Commission.

7. The Commission may appoint and establish an Advisory Council composed of nonlegislative citizens at large and public officials who have knowledge of World War I and World War II and their respective anniversary commemorations, to serve in a consultative capacity to assist the Commission in its work. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Advisory Council shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel expenses to attend a meeting of the Advisory Council within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Advisory Council shall have a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, one of whom shall be a member of the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and one of whom shall be a member of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.

Q.1. The Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees shall each appoint up to five members from their respective committees to a Joint Subcommittee to provide recommendations for reforming the Virginia Preschool Initiative. The goals and objectives of the Joint Subcommittee will be to consider increasing accountability, flexibility, innovation, clarification of the state's role and policy relating to providing a preschool for economically disadvantaged children, and to further develop the facilitation of partnerships between school divisions and private providers for the Virginia Preschool Initiative. The Subcommittee will also review and consider possible recommendations regarding the development of a competency-based professional development framework for early childhood teachers in public schools and early learning practitioners in private early learning settings.

2. The staff of the elementary and secondary Education subcommittees for the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and the Department of Education will help with facilitating the scope of work to be completed by the Joint Subcommittee. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation will provide support and resources to the members and staff of the Joint Subcommittee. Other stakeholders, such as those from the Virginia Department of Social Services, the Virginia Community College System, local school divisions, private and faith-based child day-care providers, accredited organizations, education associations and businesses may provide additional information if requested.

3. A report of any preliminary findings and recommendations shall be submitted to the Chairmen of House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by November 1, 2017.

R. 1. The Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees shall each appoint four members from their respective committees to a Joint Subcommittee on the Future Competitiveness of Virginia Higher Education to (a) review ways to maintain and improve the quality of higher education, while providing for broad access and affordability; (b) examine the impact of financial, demographic, and competitive changes on the sustainability of individual institutions and the system as a whole; (c) identify best practices to make the system more efficient, including shared services, institutional flexibility, and easily accessible academic pathways; (d) evaluate the use of distance education and online instruction across the Commonwealth and appropriate business models for such programs; (e) review current need-based financial aid programs and alternative models to best provide for student affordability and completion; (f) review the recommendations of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission on the study of the cost efficiency of higher education institutions and make recommendations to their respective committees on the implementation of those recommendations; (g) study the effectiveness and value of transfer students; (h) evaluate the effectiveness of dual enrollment in reducing the cost of higher education; and (i) study the effectiveness of preparing teachers to enter the K-12 system.

2. As the Joint Subcommittee conducts its analysis, it shall consider the mission, vision, goals and strategies outlined in the statewide strategic plan for higher education developed and approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, and endorsed by the General Assembly in House Joint Resolution 555 of the 2015 Session of the General Assembly.

3. As part of its deliberations, the Joint Subcommittee shall review alternative tuition and fee structures and programs that could result in lower costs to in-state undergraduate students.

4. The Joint Subcommittee may seek support and technical assistance from the staff of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, the public institutions of higher education, the staff of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, and the staff of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Other state agency or higher education representatives shall provide support upon request. At its discretion, the Joint Subcommittee may contract for consulting services.

5. The members of the Joint Subcommittee shall develop a two-year workplan for the review and assessment detailed above, and provide an interim report to their respective committees by November 1, 2016 and a final report by November 1, 2017.

S. The Joint Subcommittee to Evaluate Tax Preferences established pursuant to Chapter 777, 2012 Session of the General Assembly, is hereby directed, as part of its work during calendar year 2016, to undertake a review of the Neighborhood Assistance Act tax credit program and to report to the General Assembly on any proposed changes to the program structure, eligibility requirements, distribution of funding or overall funding amounts made available for the credit by November 15, 2016.